Elizabeth
Oct 09: Elizabeth has already successfully completed a week’s work experience in Childcare (Melbourne) earlier this year. She is keen on a number of different career paths, teaching (including pre-school), Radiography, Nannying and childcare.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Today I had my first day of work experience at the Cobram Special School, when I arrived i found out that the principal was away for the day, so I was then taken to the room I would be working in, which was the junior room which has 12 kids that range from prep to grade two mostly.
In the room there are four teachers, one who is souly responsible for two boys that are feed through a tube in there stomach, one who only looks after a autistic boy, and two for the rest of the class.
Once I got showing to the room and introducted to my superviser, my day consided of getting showin around the room a little bit, and seeing where the staff room was. Next was as the kids arrived they were introducted to me. Class then starts at nine, with readers, I had two different kids read to me which was really cool, then they had time were they got to put in the day and month and the weather on the interactive whiteboard, they then sung a song about the days, then one about the months which was really great.Then once everyone had arrived they had there welcome song, which I thought was good. After this they had english where I helped one girl on the computer write up ten sentences, next was recess.
After recess there was a whole school assembly in the junior room, where they handed out certificates and talked about the sports that were on friday that some kids went to. Next they had show and tell which I thought was really good. Then I went with a lady to help her do bike ed with three students, I had to help them get there helmets on and there bike ready. After they had finished riding I helped clean up and went with the kids back to the room for lunch, i then was on the first half on yard duty for lunch, so i played with a few of the kids a little bit.
After lunch they listened to a story on the whiteboard then made clown collars, because they are learning about clowns, this took most of the afternoon, after this they had time to calm down abit and play in a side room with some toys before it was home time.
I really enjoyed my first day, and found it very interesting and educational.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:20 am
Fantastic day Elizabeth… and great blogging… sorry I didn’t ring you during the weekend, my daughter didn’t end up coming home so I couldn’t organise anything with her about picking you up… I hope you manage to get there OK otherwise… I look forward to tomorrow’s blog entry…
Cheers Mrs S….
October 26th, 2009 at 2:30 am
hope it all made sense for you. sorry.
yer mum has organised it all now i am on the cobram bus. so it is all good now.
hope i did not write two much information.
Elizabeth
October 26th, 2009 at 3:13 am
Whew… I’m glad you are organised… I was a bit stressed about that! and no you didn’t write too much… I love reading all about your experiences…. the more the better I say!!! keep up the good work!
Cheers Mrs S
October 27th, 2009 at 2:11 am
Today was my second day at cobram special school.
Today I got to met the principal, who is very nice and welcoming to me, actually all the staff are really welcoming, my superviser said that she thought that it was really cool that i was confident enough to go to a special school, which I thought was really nice.
Today was very simialr to yesterday they did all the same things up until recess, I was then on the first half on yard duty at recess, which was really fun there is one little girl was has decided that she will attach herself to me so i was playing with her in the sensory garden.
After recess the whole class went swimming until lunch at the Barooga indoor pool, which all the kids loved, they all swam up to the deep end. Before and after i had to help some of the kids so they did not get there clothes wet.
After they got back they hads lunch then I was on yard duty for the first half of lunch again so I was playing with a litle boy on the swings.
After lunch they did work on confidence then had art time were they made a clown hat then decorated it with lots of stickers and hair.
I thought my second day was really good and I look forward to meeting my new supervisioner tomorow.
October 27th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Hey Elizabeth, sounds like you had an excellent second day… you are doing very well… and the principal and staff are correct in thinking that you are cool to do this… very very few people your age would be able to cope working in a special school… so well done…. are they doing anything special for ‘children’s week’ I wonder??? Sounds like they do special stuff every day… lot’s of variety and stimulating activities…
We did however visit a few students yesterday in Numurkah and they are all doing very well. I shall perhaps TRY and visit you on Thursday… if all goes well I will give the special school a buzz on Thursday morning and see what time would be best…
I went out to a meeting until late last night… so I am checking the blogs whilst eating brekky!! Only TWO bothered to blog last night
Cheers Mrs S
October 27th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
hey liz sounds like ur having funn
thats goood. just thought i would leave u a message haha bye
October 27th, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Today I had my third day at Cobram Special school, today I had a different supervisioner whose name was Liz, she is okay.
Today was totally different from the last two days firstly because they had a different teacher and secondly because a lot of kids were away at sailability in Nagambie- where they sail on Lake Nagambie for four hours.
So there was only seven kids in the class, but only four that i had to look after.
Today they started with music, the music teacher came over from the primary teacher, I thought that this was really interesting and the kids really loved this, I even joined in with there play of the three little pigs with was really cool. Next they had recess.
Aftrer recees they wrote there diaries, because most of them can not write at all I had to write the day and there sentences for them to trace over, after they had to draw picuture that was about there sentence. Next they had to do there readers. After this they had lunch, and I went and had my lunch I was then naged to play with them outside, so II went and played with them- they were so happy.
After lunch they did not really do anything they played a few games on the interative whiteboard, they even let me have a go- which was really nice.
I have been unable to get answers to the questions that I have had each day because the whole day is full on from the time u get there till the time I leave.
Elizabeth
October 28th, 2009 at 3:01 am
yer they do, do alot of stimulating activities….because all the kids can not read at once they do activities like that using magnets.
I also remembered that they played with playdough before music which was really fun because i got to have one on one time with the kids, which i really enjoyed.
that would be really good if would be able to come and vist me, i would really appreciate that.
Elizabeth
October 28th, 2009 at 3:16 am
I shall see what I can do about that!
October 29th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Day four at Cobram Special School.
Today was a very mucked up day because four ladies were being tested on Gastro feeding, and it was in the junior room and there teacher had to be tested as well, so they did not really do anything for about half the day, because they had to do so many things not just feed ing but written exams and other things.
To start the day of they did sensory activities, after that they did their diaries, it just happened that i was with a really difficult boy, who would not do as he ws told. After they finished that they were meant to do there readers but that did not happen so they started playing games untill morning tea time.
After recess they had maths so they did so simple activities on the computer then played a bug game till lunch time, and they even let me play which was pretty cool.
After lunch they had arts time so they made a massive big poster filled with circus things- because they are doing the circus at the moment. After they were done they had free time to do what ever they wanted rally. Alot of them danced to the H-5 Dvd they had goin since lunch time.
i hope to see you tomorow
Elizabeth
October 29th, 2009 at 3:17 am
Yes, when I rang this morning they said that it was a bit of a mucked up day with the feeding etc… so when my morning got a bit hectic I thought it wouldn’t matter if I postponed until tomoz…
Hopefully I feel OK in the morning, coz I’m not feeling crash hot tonight… if I can’t make it I shall give you a call and have a chat… 
They were very pleased with your work when I spoke to them today… so that is gr8… keep up the good work!
Cheers Mrs S…
October 30th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Last day at Cobram Special School today
· When you think about school and work, which is more tiring? Why?
I do have to say that work is diffently more tiring, because you have to run around after they kids all day long, and you do not really get much of a break between each kid needing help and between play breaks.
· Which is more interesting. Why?
Work is more interesting because u are doin interseting things all the time, and u are doin what u want to do.
· Which is more difficult? Why?
i believe work is more difficult because u are goin non stop for most of the day and u are constitly goin.
· Would you be interested in following this as a career, if so what type of further education do you need?
Yes i do think that i would be interested in following this as a career,i do not really know exactly what i would need to do in school.
· What was the best thing about the whole week?
i thourghly enjoyed my whole week of work experience.
· What was the worst aspect?
there was no really bad part on the week, yer there were times that were not as good as the rest.
October 30th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Today was a very interesting day, because it was one of the ladies last days at the school, so all the ladies dressed up in dresses because the lady loved dress ups. She also brought her daughter in.
And because they did not have there normal teacher there whole day was stuffed up totally. They did not really do any thing for the whole day,they read a few books, and did there readers but not much else.
i have really enjoyed my week at Cobram Special School.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
they also dressed up for world teachers day.
And they had an assembly after lunch were they presented the teachers from each class with a gift, and also one to the lady who was leaving, a heap of the teachers where starting to cry.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Hi Elizabeth,
I’ve just read your blog and it seems that you really enjoyed your time in the Blue room at Cobram Special School. We thoroughly enjoyed having you here and you are most welcome to visit us again. Please let all your friends know that we welcome work experience students at any time. We especially encourage wonderful people just like you who come with a willing and open attitude towards disabilities.
Good luck for the remainder of 2009.
Joanne Malmo (classroom teacher, Monday and Tuesday)